Page "Phil Linz" Paragraph 1

Through Jim Bouton's book Ball Four, he may be best known for the so-called " Harmonica Incident ," on August 20,.

On the team bus, after a Yankee loss to the Chicago White Sox, Linz was in the back playing a plaintive version of " Mary Had a Little Lamb " on his harmonica.

Yankee manager Yogi Berra thought the sad cowboy style mixed with a children's nursery rhyme was mocking the team.

He told Linz to pipe down.

Linz didn't hear and kept playing.

Berra became infuriated and called back from the front of the bus, " If you don't knock that off, I'm going to come back there and kick your ass.

" Linz couldn't hear the words over the music, so he asked Mickey Mantle, " What he say?

" Mantle responded, " He said to play it louder.

" This led the famous confrontation when Berra stormed to the back of the bus, slapped the harmonica out of Linz ' hands, and the instrument hit Joe Pepitone's knee.